This field trip was originally scheduled for September 17, but due to a coastal storm which hit that day, and personal scheduling issues, it split into two separate trips! We have combined the report into one page and one list.
Report, 9-14 (L. Larson): Tide falling, low around 1 PM. High 80F, wind calm, light hazy-bright with much reflection. 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM, one round of auto-tour. 200 white herons feeding in west pool; Clapper Rail, west dike channel, and much smaller rail, probl. Virginia, flew across road right in front of the car. At least 40 Caspian Terns and many Forsters. Many shorebirds: large flock mixed Golden and Black-bellied Plovers at East dike, Yellowlegs and peep along north dike and single birds, incl Wilson’s Phalaropes, peep, Yellowlegs, and others spread along northwest section of west pool. Both Ibis, scattered. Few raptors or landbirds. Many reports this week which we did not see (Avocet, Godwit, Curlew Sandpiper)
Report, 9-18 (R. Koch): The weather was okay (no rain) but it was overcast. The light was better than it was for us beyond the dogleg. No glare. We did not see the shorebirds I wanted (Hudsonian and Marbled Godwits and the Wilson’s Phalarope). There were a number of people looking beyond the dogleg but I don’t think they saw them either. We did see Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs (most of the yellowlegs were the lesser and we saw only a few greaters), Semipalmated Plovers, peep (probably semipalms), a few Dunlin and Dowitchers.
The spot where we saw the Golden and Black-bellied Plovers [on 9-14] was really flooded out and there were no shorebirds along that strip. There was a Common Gallinule by the Gull Tower area but it was pretty far away and a fellow set up his scope so we could see it. There were also Wood Ducks in that area. The only other ducks we saw were Mallards and a few Shovelers in the area beyond the dogleg. Best bird of the day was a Tricolored Heron that we saw from the boardwalk over the marsh before we got onto the loop road. Most of the egrets were Snowys. Got an immature Black-crowned Night Heron and a male Kingfisher as we approached the big turn that starts the return run.
One spot on the loop near the beginning had lots of Red-winged Blackbirds in the phragmites (a lot of them were immature males). We also got a Northern Harrier over the marsh on our way out. Only other raptor was a couple of Ospreys. No one saw the Cattle Egret or the Black-headed Gull although lots of people were asking if anyone saw them. The gnats were very annoying beyond the dogleg and that kind of hastened our departure. All in all a nice day and the folks seemed to enjoy just being at Brig.
Participants, 9-14: Holly Hoffman, Robert Koch, Laurie Larson.
Participants, 9-18: Sam Madeira, Robert Koch, Bharathi Sumathisena, Nancy Turner and Dave Wurster.
List (combined):
1 – Canada Goose – both
2 – Mute Swan – both
3 – Wood Duck – 9-18 only
4 – Blue-winged Teal – 9-14 only
5 – Northern Shoveler – 9-18 only
6 – Mallard – both
7 – Mourning Dove – both
8 – Clapper Rail – 9-14 only
9 – Virginia Rail – 9-14 only
10 – Common Gallinule – 9-18 only
11 – Black-bellied Plover – 9-14 only
12 – American Golden-Plover – 9-14 only
13 – Semipalmated Plover
14 – Stilt Sandpiper – 9-14 only
15 – Dunlin – 9-18 only
16 – Least Sandpiper – both
17 – Semipalmated Sandpiper – 9-14 only
18 – Short-billed Dowitcher – both
19 – Lesser Yellowlegs – both
20 – Greater Yellowlegs – both
21 – Wilson’s Phalarope – 9-14 only
22 – Black-headed Gull – 9-14 only
23 – Laughing Gull – both
24 – Herring Gull – both
25 – Great Black-backed Gull – both
26 – Gull-billed Tern – 9-14 only
27 – Caspian Tern – both
28 – Forster’s Tern – both
29 – Black Skimmer – 9-14 only
30 – Double-crested Cormorant – both
31 – Great Blue Heron – both
32 – Great Egret – both
33 – Snowy Egret – both
34 – Tricolored Heron – 9-18 only
35 – Black-crowned Night-Heron – 9-18 only
36 – White Ibis – 9-14 only
37 – Glossy Ibis – both
38 – Turkey Vulture – 9-14 only
39 – Osprey – both
40 – Northern Harrier – 9-18 only
41 – Red-tailed Hawk – 9-14 only
42 – Belted Kingfisher – both
43 – Red-bellied Woodpecker – 9-14 only
44 – American Kestrel – 9-18 only
45 – Blue Jay – both
46 – American Crow – both
47 – Tree Swallow – both
48 – Tufted Titmouse – 9-14 only
49 – Gray Catbird – 9-14 only
50 – Northern Mockingbird – 9-18 only
51 – European Starling – both
52 – Red-winged Blackbird – 9-14 only
53 – Common Grackle – both
54 – Boat-tailed Grackle – 9-14 only
55 – Common Yellowthroat – 9-14 only
56 – Northern Cardinal – 9-14 only
